TechCrunch Disrupt 2026 Opens in San Francisco

TechCrunch Disrupt 2026 opened on Tuesday, October 13, at Moscone West in San Francisco, with doors opening at 8 a.m. Pacific Time. The three-day event runs until October 15 and expects more than 10,000 founders, investors and tech operators. Disrupt remains one of the most watched startup events in the world, and many companies time product launches and funding news around the show. The program covers more than 200 sessions across six stages, plus roundtables and breakout sessions with more than 250 speakers. Names on the lineup include Rivian founder RJ Scaringe, Cerebras Systems CEO Andrew Feldman, Anthropic's Cat de Jong and NVIDIA's Les Karpas. More than 300 startups are exhibiting in the Expo Hall. The headline competition is Startup Battlefield, where TechCrunch picked 20 early-stage startups from thousands of applicants to pitch to top investors. The winner takes home $100,000 in equity-free funding and the Disrupt Cup. TechCrunch is also using AI-powered matchmaking in the event app to connect attendees. AI, robotics, infrastructure, fintech and climate lead the agenda this year. Following Disrupt is a fast way to read where investor money is heading over the next 12 months. Startups pitching on the main stages tend to signal the categories VCs want to fund, and the product demos often show which AI tools will reach businesses first. For agencies and freelancers, Disrupt is also a lead list. Many of the startups exhibiting will need websites, branding, SEO and marketing support as they raise money and grow. Tracking the Battlefield finalists and Expo Hall exhibitors gives you a head start on who will be hiring outside help in the coming months. Watch for the Startup Battlefield winner on October 15, since the winning category often hints at where 2027 funding will flow.